The Kurt Salmon Review

Retail. Consumer Products. Private Equity. Strategy.
Issue 01

Welcome to the first issue of the Kurt Salmon Review. In this bi-annual publication, we will highlight the most important strategic issues for retailers, consumer products companies and private equity sponsors. We will provide in-depth examples and analyses to help sponsors invest wisely and retailers remain on the cutting edge.

When I co-wrote The New Rules of Retail just over two years ago, my co-author and I laid out three rules for success:

Developing products and experiences that fuse connections with consumers on a deeper level

Reaching customers first, fastest, most effectively and most often

Maintaining value chain control from inception through delivery to the customer and back again

In the past two years, these rules have become more important as competitive pressure mounts and consumers grow savvier.

Our belief is that understanding these forces will be fundamental in deals and strategy development in 2013 and beyond.

In this issue, we discuss deal opportunities in the footwear segment and new distribution channels, plus new diligence tools that help accurately measure brand strength. We also explore strategic issues like omnichannel retailing and the calculus of brand distribution.

These are just a few of the articles you’ll find in this issue. We hope you enjoy it, and we’re interested in hearing your thoughts on any of the articles within it.